Bright and day – The brightest supernova in recorded history, SN 1006, lit Earth’s skies in A.D. 1006. The tremendous explosion of a dying star, SN 1006 was documented by astronomers in Europe, Egypt, Japan, and more. For a time the supernova was bright enough to be seen both night and day. —astronomytrek.com
You read it first in this week’s The Factory in Guide magazine.
The brightest supernova in recorded history thus far was SN1006, and it appeared in A.D. 1006. Some said it could be seen even in the daytime! And it could be seen in the sky for about two – three months afterward, depending on where you lived on the earth to view it. That’s an amazing amount of energy!
Supernovas are actually a tremendous explosion of a star when it has run out of fuel. A star is like a giant oven that is burning up fuel on the inside, in its core. When it is burning fuel, the heat it produces creates pressure from the middle pushing outward. Which is good because in space, around the star, there is also gravity pushing on it inward. So, the star can burn and shine for a long time if the balance is kept.
However, the fuel in the core of the star does not last forever, and it eventually dies out causing the star to cool down. When this happens a reaction occurs. The energy from the heat pressure pushing outward, and the gravity around the star pushing inward, can no longer balance each other out. This causes a tremendous explosion – a supernova! And the bigger the star, the bigger the explosion!
Spacecenter.org says, “Imagine something one million times the mass of Earth collapsing in 15 seconds! The collapse happens so quickly that it creates enormous shock waves that cause the outer part of the star to explode!”
So remember, the bright supernova is the tremendous explosion of a dying star! The heavens have always fascinated us. Space is so massive! Even King David in the Bible was overwhelmed. In Psalm 8:3-4, he said, “When I consider Your heavens, and the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him…?” NKJV Scripture taken from the New King James Version, Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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This supernova (above) dubbed SN 1054, was visible for two years before fading into what we now know as the Crab Nebula.
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